“Who Is Politicizing His Health?” Atta Tarar Hits Back at PTI
Atta Tarar slams PTI & its founder’s sisters for contempt of court
ISLAMABAD, August 22, 2026: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar has accused Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders and the sisters of the party’s founder of committing contempt of court by politicizing his health and creating disruptions around his medical treatment.
Speaking to the media on Saturday, Tarar rejected PTI allegations regarding the implementation of the Supreme Court’s directives, saying the government had complied with the court order transparently and in accordance with the law and Constitution.
Tarar argued that the court had specifically directed that the issue should not be turned into a political controversy, yet PTI leaders continued to hold press conferences and issue political statements concerning the matter.
He also alleged that PTI supporters gathered outside Shifa International Hospital, breached security barriers and created disturbances, including making TikTok videos at the site.
According to the minister, the security situation created by the protesters made it difficult to transfer the PTI founder to the hospital. He said the government therefore shifted him to PIMS Hospital instead.
“Had they genuinely wanted their party founder to receive treatment, they would not have created hurdles during his transfer,” Tarar said.
Government Says Court Order Was Fully Implemented
Tarar maintained that the government had fulfilled all requirements of the court order, including arranging a medical check-up in a transparent manner.
He said the prisoner’s sister was present during the examination and doctors from Shifa Hospital, including an ophthalmologist, were also involved in the medical assessment.
The minister said he had already shared updates on social media confirming that the check-up had taken place in the presence of the prisoner’s sister and a Shifa Hospital specialist.
Tarar further questioned the legal basis for providing a customized medical facility to one prisoner, asking whether similar arrangements were available to other inmates.
He said the government had also raised questions about the absence of recommendations from a medical board, stressing that such recommendations were necessary to determine the appropriate place and doctors for treatment.
Tarar Criticizes PTI’s Political Campaign
The federal minister accused the PTI of using the health issue for political purposes despite the government’s stated position that medical matters should remain outside political confrontation.
He recalled that when the PTI was in government, its leaders had allegedly made political and sarcastic statements about the health problems of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders.
Tarar said the current government had not adopted the same approach toward the PTI founder.
“Our position has remained the same whether we were in opposition or in government: there should be no politics over anyone’s health,” he said.
Government Review Petition to Follow Law
Responding to questions about the government’s legal position, Tarar said the law minister had already explained the government’s stance following the filing of a review petition.
He emphasized that the government would proceed according to the law and constitutional requirements and said there should be no impression that any prisoner was receiving preferential treatment.
Tarar also referred to statements issued by the Pakistan Bar Council and Punjab Bar Council, saying both had urged that bar politics should not be mixed with broader political disputes.
He criticized some lawyers for allegedly issuing unauthorized statements in their individual capacities, saying such actions could undermine the professional integrity of bar politics.
Minister Questions Political Focus on Health
Tarar also cited PIMS medical reports while questioning the PTI’s continued focus on the founder’s health.
“If the reports show that he is in perfect health, which ailment do they want to politicize?” he asked.
The minister reiterated that the government had never prevented the PTI founder from receiving medical treatment and maintained that all necessary medical and legal procedures were being followed.
The dispute comes amid continued political and legal debate over the implementation of the Supreme Court’s directives concerning the PTI founder’s medical examination and treatment.
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